This invention relates generally to vehicles having convertible tops and, more particularly, to the attachment of a sling within a convertible top storage well.
Vehicles having folding convertible tops conventionally store the folded top in a storage well compartment in the vehicle behind the rear seat. The well is defined by the seat back and an opening in the vehicle body behind the seat which opens into the vehicle trunk.
It is conventional to secure the rear edge of the top fabric cover of a four-bow top to the vehicle via a tacking strip. The tacking strip conventionally comprises a strip of rolled steel which confines a strip of polypropylene to which the top fabric is stapled. After stapling the fabric, the tacking strip is mounted on studs welded to the vehicle body about the top opening by nuts. It is customary to provide a sling for the lining top storage compartment to separate the stored top from the trunk compartment so that objects in the trunk will not injure or intrude upon the stored top.
This sling is attached to the vehicle body via the tacking strip. Conventional means of attaching the sling to the tacking strip include the use of a plurality of spaced metal screws. Also, snaps are used which comprise a male snap member screwed to the tacking strip and a female button riveted to the sling. If the snaps or screw holes are misaligned, they must be either replaced or not used.
This type of sling attachment is time-consuming and, therefore expensive to mount. In addition, there is no provision for lateral misalignment of the sling in the well. Also, the tacking strip and sling are mounted in separate assembly operations.
It would be desirable to provide an improved attachment means for attaching a sling to a convertible vehicle that is simple, quick and easy.
It would also be desirable to provide an improved attachment means for attaching a sling to a convertible vehicle that allows for misalignment of the attachment means.
It would further be desirable to provide a sling attachment means which enables the tacking strip and the sling to be mounted on the vehicle in a single assembly operation.